Method of treating pine-needles.



PATENTED MAY 3, 1904.

- C. M. & O. C. TERRELL. METHOD OF TREATING PINE NEEDLES.

APPLICATION PILBD JULY 15, 1903.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

N0 MODEL.

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PATENTED MAY 3, 1904.

C. M. & 0. C. TERRBLL.

METHOD OF TREATING PINE NEDLES.V

APPLIOATION FILED JULY 15, 190s.

N0 MODEL.

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WMM/www PATBNTBD MAY 3, 1904'.

C. M. L 0. G. TBRRELL.

METHOD 0F TREATING PINE NEEDLES.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 15, 1903.

N0 MODEL.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

Witwe/oo eo UNTTED STATES Patented May 3,1904.

'PATENT erica.

CLARK M. TERRELL AND OLVER C. TFRRELL, OF G'RANlS PASS, OREGON.

METHOD OF TREATING PINE-NEEDLES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 758,874, dated May 3,1904. Application led July 15,1903. Serial No. 165,612. (No specimens.)

To @ZZ whom zii? may concern:

Be it known that we,'Ci\i .ii M. TeizimLL and OLIVER O. TERRELL,citizens of the United States, residing at Grants Pass, in the county ofJ osephine and State of Oregon, have invented a ne'w and useful Methodot' rl`reating Pine-lleedles,of which the following' is a specilication.

The invention relates to a method otl treating piiie-needles forobtaining the liber, the oil, and the extract.

The object of the present invention is to provide a method of treatingpine-needles for obtaining liber, pine-needle oil, and extract and toenable pine-needle fiber of a much finer character than has heretoforebeen possible to be rapidly produced.

A further object of the invention is to enable a largerqiiantity ofpine-needle oiltobe obtained from a given amount of pine-needles and to.prevent the oil from evaporating or becoming mixed with water while itis being collected4 and separated from the latter, whereby pure oil ofgreat strength is obtained and the necessity of rectifying the sameobviated. y

Another object of theinvention is to lessen the cost of producingpine-needle liber and oil and to provide a process adapted to becontinuously and economically operated.

lVith, these and other objects in view tlief invention consists in thenovel method hereinafter described, illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, and particularlyT pointed out in the claims hereto appended,it being understood that various changes within the scope of the claimsmay be made without departing from the spirit or sacrilicing any of theadvantages of the invention.

1n the drawings, Figure l is an elevation of an apparatus for carryinginto effect the herein described method of treating pineneedles. Fig. isa sectional view ot' the distillingapparatus. Fig. 3 isa similar view ofthe crushing mechanism and the means for feeding the pine-needles to andfrom the same. Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view of one of theliber-making machines. Fig'. 5 isa longitudinal sectional view of thedrum or reel for removing the waste and dust from the liber after thesaine has left the liber-making iiiav'thereceptacle l, and thepine-needleV chine and for loosening up the balls of liber and renderingthe saiiieitiulfy. KFig. k6 is a transverse sectioiialview of the same.Fig. 'T is a vertical sectional View of the washiiig mechanism. Fig. 8is an elevation, partly in section, ot' the drier. Fig. 9 is aii endelevation of the same. Fig.` l() is a detail view of the wringer aiid aportion of the coiiveyeij for carrying the liber from the wringer to thedrier.V p

" Like numerals of reference designate corresponding partsinall thefigures of the drawings.

l designates Vcylindrical steam-tight receptacles designed to bearranged in a curved series concentric with the standardror support Q ofa crane 3, which is adapted to oseillate to carry its hoisting mechanismfrom a point above any one of the cylindrical receptacles to a pointabove a hopper d for transferring the pine-needles from the cylindricalreceptacles after they have been boiled or subjected to the action ofsteam for obtaining the extract and` for liberating' the volatilepine-iieedle oil. The receptacles l, which iiiay be of any desiredconstruction and which may be heated iii any desired manner for boilingtlie pinencedles, are each preferably provided at the bottoiiiwitli `a'steam-coil 5 for discharging steam into the receptacle forsubjectingthe piiiefneedles to the action of the saine. A removablesteaiii-tiglit cover 6 is provi l "l, for w held while being' subjectedto the aetio'iiqe'fftlie steam in a basket or receptacle 7, constructedof suitable open-work and provided With a bail 8 for enabling it to bereadily connected with the crane. The basket, which may be constructedof wire-gauze or any other'siiit-r.

able material, is provided with a hinged,lbotI` tom 9, normally heldclosed by a suitablecatch ll) and adapted to be released to'dumpitseontents into the hopper et. The steam tight cover is provided with asuitable eye, as shown lifted otl the receptacle after thepiiie'iieedles liave'beeii subjected to the action of the steam for asufficient length of time. Any suitable means may be provided forsecuring the lids IOO or covers to the receptacles for rendering thelatter steam-tight. The receptacles are provided at the bottom withsuitable cocks or faucets 11 for enablingthe extractto be drawn offafter the steaming operation or boiling operation has been completed.The volatile oil and steam pass upward through the tube or pipe 12 to acondenser 13, having coils 14 communicating with the pipe or tube 12 ofthe receptacle, as clearly illustrated iny Figs. 1 and 2 of thedrawings, and these pipes or coils 14 are arranged within a casing andare subjected to the action of cold water to condense the steam and theoil. Each coil has its lower or discharge end 15 piercing the bottom ofthe casing and depending therefrom into an upwardly-extending tubulararm 16 of a receptacle 17 into which the oil and water drip. The tube orarm 16, which is approximately L-shaped, as illustrated in Fig. 2, is ofgreater diameter than the depending lower discharge end 15 of thecondenser-coil 14 to permit the air to escape, whereby the air isprevented from agitating the oil which collects upon the surface of thewater in the receptacle 17. The receptacle 17 is provided at the topwith an oil-discharge faucet 18, and it is connected at its bottom witha tube or pipe 19, adapted to carry off the water from the receptacle 17and provided with an upwardly-extending bend 20 to cause the water toremain in the receptacle 17 to a predetermined level. Theupwardly-extending bend 20 has its upper portion arranged above theplane of the lower end of the tubular arm 16, and the lower end of thewater pipe or tube 19 is connected with the receptacle 17 at the bottomthereof. By this construction the tube 16 discharges beneath the surfaceof the water and does not disturb the oil on the surface. rlhe upperportion 21 of the receptacle 17 is preferably tapered, as shown, "andthe oil collects in the upper tapered portion. As soon as a sufficientquantity of oil'v4 has collected in the receptacle a valve or cock 22 ofthe pipe or tube 19 is closed to prevent the escape of water from thesaid receptacle 17, and the water rising therein will force the oiloutward through the discharge-faucet 18 into a suitable receptacle. Asthe upper portion 21 of the receptacle 17 is air-tight, the oil is notpermitted to evaporate, and as the water is not agitated by skimming theoil from the surface pure oil unmixed or diluted with water is obtained,and the necessity of rectifying the oil is obviated. Also the loss orwaste of oil is re-v duced to a minimum, and a much greater quantity ofoil is obtained from a given amount of pine-needles than heretofore.Also the flow and any suitable means may be provided for enabling theheight of oil in the receptacle to be ascertained. After the oil hasbeen removed from the receptacle 17 by the action of the water the cockor valve of the water pipe or tube 19 is opened to permit the water inthe receptacle 17 to sink back to its normal level. The cock or valve 18is then closed, and the automatic operation of the apparatus incollecting the oil on the surface of the water continues until asuiiicient quantity again accumulates.

Any number of receptacles and condensingcoils may be provided, as willbe readily understood, and instead of having a separate condensing-coilfor each boiler or receptacle 1 a plurality of boilers may be connectedwith a single condensing-coil, if desired.

The pine-needles after being discharged from the skeleton or reticulatedbasket into the hopper 4 are conducted by an inclined chute 23 to acrushing-machine 24, which mashes the wood olf the points of needles andcrushes the latter. The hopper 4 is tapered and is provided with an openlower end which is disposed directly above the upper portion of theinclined chute 23. The chute 23, which is short, is mounted on the frameof the crushing-machine, .which is provided with a main crushing-roll25, arranged at the center of the machine and at the lower end of theinclined chute 23. Any suitable means may be pro? videdfor controllingthe feed of the pineneedles to the crushing-machine, and the feed may beentirely automatic, or it may be partially controlled by hand, ifdesired. The main crushing-roll 25 is suitably journaled in fixedbearings of the frame of the machine, and it cooperates with a series ofyieldablymounted smaller rolls 26, having their journals arranged inslots 27 and engaged by suitable coiled springs 28, located in theslots. The rolls 26 are arranged above the main crushingroll, and thepine-needles after passing through the crushing-machine drop upon theupper flight of an inclined endless conveyer 29, arranged in a suitableframe or casing 30, which extends downward to a point directly beneaththe main crushing-roll 25, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 3 of thedrawings. The inclined endless conveyer carries the crushed pine-needlesupward and delivers the sanne to a trough 31 or other suitablereceptacle, where the crushed mass will be in convenient reach of anoperator who feeds the material to liber-making machines 32. The casing30 and the endless conveyer which is arranged therein may be constructedin any desired manner.

It has been found by experience that one person can conveniently feedthe material to and remove the ber from three liber-making machineswhich are constructed as shown and described in Letters Patent No.675,206, granted to us September 4, 1900. The feedtrough, which has aninclined rear wall and IOO tapering' sides, as indicated in l, islocated at one end of the series of machines to enable the operator toobtain the material readily, and an inclined trough 33, provided with aconveyer 34, is arranged longitudinally of the series of machines, inrear thereof, in convenient position to enable the operator to throw theliber into it after the same has been removed from the machines.

Each machine is provided with upper and lower grinding-disks 35 and 36,and a gyratory motion is imparted to the upper disk, as set forth in thesaid patent. The lower disk 36 rests upon a cross-bar which is securedat its ends to vertically-reciprocating rods 3T. A cross-bar 38 issecured to the rods 3T near their lower ends and is provided near itsmiddle with an opening' 4Q to receive the connecting rod or bolt 43. Theupper end of the connecting bar or bolt 43 is attached to a lever 45,while the lower end is attached to a lever i6, adapted to be operated byfoot. The footlever 46 is fulcrumed near its rear end to the framework,and the rod 43 is connected to the foot-lever at a point between theends thereof. It will be apparent that by pressingdownward upon the freeend of the lever 46 the lower disk 5 will be depressed, so that materialcan be placed upon and removed from the same. The lever is provided witha weight for re turning' the lower disk to its initial position and forholding the same in operative relation to the upper gyratory disk 35.The Lipper disk 35 is provided with an arm 4S, extending diametricallyfrom the same and having a plate 4K8, which is provided with alongitudinal slot 50 for the reception of a stud or projection 51 of theframework of the machine. The stud or projection, which may consist of afastening device, is provided with a head for holding' the plate inposition. Gyratory motion is imparted to the upper disk by means of avertical shaft 53, journaled in suitable bearings of the framework ofthel machine and provided at its upper end with a pulley 5%; but anysuitable gearing may be employed for rotating it. The vertical shaft 53is provided at its lower end with a crank 56, which is connected to thediametrical arm of the Lipper grinding-disk, and it will be evident thatby rotating the shaft a gyratory or whirlingI motion will be impartedtothe upper disk for the purpose of grinding the material. rlhe lowerdisk is provided with a circumferential guard wall or fender extendingentirely around the same and projecting above the lower face of theupper disk to prevent the escape, and consequent waste, of the material.The disks are provided at their adjacent faces with teeth, whichcooperate to reduce the material between the disks to a fibrouscondition. These teeth, which are arranged in circular series,preferably consist of staples, andthe teeth of one disk operate in theintervals or spaces between the teeth of' the other disk. The

working faces of the disks are concave to prevent the fiber fromspreading out between the disks when one or both of them are in motion`VBy means of the gy atory motion the liber is thrown together and has atendency to remain in the center of the disks. Itis not permitted toform into a rope, but assumes the shape of balls or spheres, and each ofthese is thrust from side to side and rolled over and over in such amanner as to bring all the parts of the same into direct contact withthe teeth of the disks, which work the liber uniformly, and the peculiarmotion brings certain actions into playviz., a rubbing' action-"for whenthe substance is caught between the disks the pressure is brought tobear directly upon the same. and at the same time a lateral or rubbingaction is applied and this compound action gathers the substance intoballs and gives to them a twisting and crimping action and at the sametime a crushing action so that all portions of the balls are reduced toa librous condition. The balls of fiber are removed from the machines bythe attendant and thrown into the inclined trough upon the conveyer 3ft,which carries the material forward and discharges the same into a rotarydrum or reel of polygonal form, preferably open at both ends, as clearlyillustrated in Fig. 5 of the drawings. This rotary drum or reel, whichis slightly inclined, consists of a frame covered with wire-gauze orother suitable screen material and provided with longitudinal ribs 60,extending inward from the angles or corners of the reel and arranged toengage the fiber and carry the same upward. The reel is rotated withsuflicient rapidity to enable the longitudinal inwardly-projecting ribsto carry the balls of liber nearly to the top of the reel, so that theballs will fall therefrom to the bottom of the reel to bc again carriedupward. By this operation the dust and waste are thoroughly removed fromthe fiber and pass out through the perforations of the screen material,and the balls of liber are loosened and rendered fluffy and in suitablecondition for a final washing. Owing to the inclination of the reel, thelibrous balls gradually descend to the lower end of the same and aredischarged therefrom into a Washing-machine 61. The polygonal reel 59 isprovided at its ends with circular rims 62 and 63 and is supported byflanged wheels M, as clearly shown in Figs. 5 and (i, and motion iscommunicated to the reel by means of a belt 65, as hereinafterexplained. The flanged wheels are mounted in suitable brackets; but anyother means may be employed for that purpose. The loose fluffy balls ofliber are discharged from the rotary sifting reel or drum upon a shortinclined approximately semicircular ange or apron G6 of' thewashing-machine body or tank 6T. \Vithin the washing-machine body isjournaled an oscillatory cylinder or agitator (38, provided withinclined IOO IIO

teeth or lingers 69, extending forwardly. A concave diaphragm orpartition 70, forming a false bottom for the tank or washing-machinebody 67, is interposed between the oscillatory agitator and the bottomof the body and is provided with fingers or projections 71, eX- tendingforwardly or in the direction in which the material is carried by theoscillatory agitator 68. The washing machine body is pierced at itsupper portion by a suitable feedpipe 72, and it is provided near itsbottom with a drain-opening 73, having a suitable cock or closure, andby these means the water necessary for washing the ber is supplied toand removed from the washing-machine body. The ber is positively carriedforward by the fingers of the oscillatory cylinder or agitator, and itis separated and thoroughly subjected to the action of the water by thefingers of the perforated diaphragm or false bottom, so that the liberis thoroughly cleaned by the washing-machine. The fiber isdelivered bythe washing-machine to a wringer 74, consisting of upper and lower rollsarranged in pairs and connected byupper and lower belts or aprons and76. The upper and lower belts, which are constructed of canvas or othersuitable material, prevent the iiber from winding around the adjacentwringer-rolls, and they have rearwardlydiverging inner adjacent iiightsto free the material after the same has been compressed between thefront wringerrolls. The lower belt 76 operates as a short conveyer forcarrying the washed iiber to an inclined endless conveyer 77, extendingto a drier 7 8, located within a suitable dry-room, which is designed tobe heated in any preferred manner. The front wringer-rolls arepreferably geared together, and one of the rolls is connected by a belt79 or other suitable means, as hereinafter explained, with the operatingmechanism. rEhe inclined conveyer 77 is arranged within a suitablecasing 80, and it empties into a shortinclined chute 81, which directsthe material into the upper drum or reel 82 of avertical series of thesame. These drums or reels, which are reversely inclined, as clearlyshown in Fig. 8 of the drawings, are constructed substantially the sameas the inclined drum or reel 59. The top drum or reel 82 of the seriesinclines downward toward the upper end of the adjacentdrum or reel,andashort end chute 83 is provided for conducting the material from thelower end of one chute into the upper end of the other drum or reel.Each drum or reel is provided with a periphery or covering of screenmaterial and is polygonal, being provided at the corners or angles withinwardly-extending ribs or anges for carrying the material upward in themanner heretofore described. The material is carried from the bottom tothe top of the drum or reel and is permitted to fall therefrom to thebottom thereof, the material being gradually carried downward toward thelower end of the drum, owing to the inclinationl of the same. The drumsor reels are mounted upon suitable antifriction-wheels 84, which areflanged similar to those heretofore described and which receive circularrims located at the ends of the drums or reels. One of the circular rimsof each drum or reel is enlarged and preferably grooved to receive abelt for connecting it with the mechanism for imparting rotary motion tothe said drums or reels. A short chute 83 is arranged at the lower endof each of the drums or reels, with the exception of the bottom one ofthe series, for causing the iiber to pass backward and forward throughthe oppositely-inclined drums or reels of the drier, whereby the ber isthoroughly subjected to the heat of the drying-room and is thoroughlydried bythe same. Any suitable means may be employed for receiving theiiber from the lowermost drum or reel of the series, and a suitableframework is employed for supporting the drums or reels, as clearlyillustrated in Fig. 9 of the drawings. Also any number of rotary dryingdrums or reels may be employed, so that the fiber on leaving thelowermost one will be completely dried and ready for use.

The main crushing-roll is connected by a belt 85 with a line-shaft 87.The belt 85 communicates motion to the crushing-machine, and a belt 86operates the inclined conveyer, which conducts the material from theCrusher to the feed trough or receptacle which holds the crushedpine-needles until operated on by the fiber-making machines. Theconveyer of the trough 43, which receives the fiber from the machines,is operated by a belt 87 which extends from the conveyer 29. rlhefiber-making machines are connected directly with the line-shaft byshort belts 88, extending from the pulleys 54 to suitable pulleys on thcline-shaft. The drum or reel 59 is connected directly to the line-shaftby the belt 65, and the oscillatory agitator orv cylinder of IOO IIO

the washing-machine is connected by a pi'tman 89 with apulley 92, havinga wrist-pin or crank to receive the pitman, whereby when the pulley 92is rotated the cylinder or agitator will be oscillated. When thecylinder or agitator moves backward, the forwardly extending teeth moveover the material, which is fed by the forward movement of the cylinderor agitator. The pulley 92 is connected by a belt 93 with the line-shaft87, and the belt 79 of the wringer may be either connected with thepulley 92 or the line-shaft. The belt 90 extends from the inclinedconveyer 77, and it may be operated by the line-shaft directly or byindirect connection with the same. The belts 91 of the drums or reels ofthe drier extend from the latter, as indicated in Fig. 9 of thedrawings, and any suitable means may be employed for driving thesebelts.

From the foregoing it will be seen that a method ol treating'pine-needles is provided, adapted to extract l'rom them a maximum amountol' pure oil and capable oll rapidly crushing' and converting' thepine-needles into liber and el' washing', wringing', and drying' thesame. Also it will be clear that after the balls ol' liber leave themachines the material is cleaned and rendered loose and llull'y in orderto enable the liber to be quickly and ef- 'ectivellv Washed and dried.Furthermore, it will be apparent that an attendant is required onliY foroperating' the liber-machines and `for placing' the baskets ol'pine-needles in and removing' them from the cylinders, in which they aresteamed, and that the oil collects within the receptacle and does nothave to be drawn oliA until a considerable quantity has accummulated.The expense oli' producing' pine-needle liber and ol` obtaining' the oiland extract is reduced to a minimum, a greater quantity of pure oil isobtained than has heretofore been possible, and a much liner quality olfliber is more rapidly obtained and is produced in larg'e quantities.

iVhat we claim is* l. The herein-described method of treating'pine-needles, consisting'in sub jeeting' the pineneedles to the actionol' steam to liberate the oil and obtain the extract, crushing' theneedles to remove the wood from the points thereof, converting' thecrushed needles into liber, shaking' the liber and sifting the same toremove the dust and waste, and washing', wringing and drying' the liber,substantially as described.

Q. rlhat method oll treating' pine-needles consisting' in subjecting'the same to the action of heat and moisture, crushing' the needles,converting' the crushed material into liber, ag'itating' and sifting'the liber to remove the dust and Waste and render the liber llull'lv,and washing' the liber, substantiallvY as described.

3. That method ol` treating' pine-needles consisting' in subjecting' thesame to the action ol' heat and moisture, converting' the same intoliber balls, ag'itating' the balls to render the liber lluliy, sifting'the dust and waste from the liber balls, and washing' the liber,substantially as described.

4. That method ol' treating' pine-needles consisting' in subjecting' thesame to the action ol' heat and moisture, converting' the needles intoliber, agitatiug' and sifting' the liber to render the same liuliy andto separate the dust and waste from the material, washing' the liber,and wringing' the same, substantially as described.

5. That method ol' treating' pine-needles, consisting' in removing' theoil and extract therefrom, converting' the same into liber balls, andag'itating' the balls to render the liber llull'y, substantially asdescribed.

6. That method of treating' pine-needles, consisting' in converting' thesame into liber balls, and ag'itating' the balls to render the liberliully, substantiall)r as described.

7. That method ol' treating' pine-needles, consisting' in subjecting'the same'to the action of heat and moisture, separating' the wood fromthe points ol' the needles, and converting' the latter into liber,substantially as described.

8. That method olI treating' pine-needles, consisting' in subjecting'the same to the action of heat and moisture, crushing' the needles andseparating' the wood from the points thereof, converting' the needlesinto liber balls, and ag'itating' the latter, substantially asdescribed.

ln testimomY that we claim the foregoing' as our own We have heretoallixed our signatures in the presence ol' two witnesses.

CLARK M. TERRELL. OLIVER C. TERRELL. Witnesses:

T. Y. DEAN, C. E. MAYBEE.

